Ventilating black-out window shade



May 30, 1944. R. R. BUTTS 2,350,094 VENTILA'IING BLACKOUT WINDOW SHADE Filed Dec. 24, 1941 oooooooodoo oo or'cvooeoo c-- u f,

OOO OO PatentedMay 30, 1944 VENTILATING BLACK-OUT WINDOW SHADE Richard R. Butts, Miamisburg, Ohio, assignor of one-half 'to 'I'. B. Zumstein, vFort Thomas, Ky., and one-half to George F. Miller, Cincinnati,

Ohio

Application neeember 24, 1941, serial Ne. 424,350

's claims. (o1. 16o-114) The .present invention relates to window shades and particularly to `a fixture adapted to complete- .l-y block the passage of 'all light'in the interior of :an illuminated chamber-through a window thereof to the outside.

An object of the invention is to provide a blackout window shade and mounting therefor whereby interior illuminationis` absolutely obstructed vfrom Athe outside of Athebuilding at any angle of vision, while at the same time,` excellent ventilation' may be `had within-the Iilluminated chamber, if desired, by opening the window which is 4shaded by the device of the invention.

Another object-of the invention istofprovide a -ldevice `of this rkind thatis easily installed in an `effectivewmanner; is capable of being quickly` yraised and lowered, and presents `a neat and attractive appearance.

l -to shield `the clearance spaces between the sides andendsof the-shade and the adjacent sides of the window opening.

l -A still furtherobject of the invention is'to pro- Vvide .a-novel` method of arranging a pair of folde ing `shade -bodiesfor lWebs kand retaining them in 4operative-position solely by means of draw cords .with whichA the `shade is raised "and lowered.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing; in which:

Figure 1 isa front elevational view of a window ,equipped with `a -ventilating black-out Window shade ofthe present invention, parts being broken Elway.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the installation-shownin Figure 1.

Window `shades have been heretofore known Whichafford a degree-of ventilation through a partly opened `window while preventing :direct vision fromthe outside of the roomthrough the i window. Suchshades are ysatisfactoryto provide a degreeof privacy and ventilation when desired, but .they vdo -Vnot preclude random rays of light `.from the .inside of the `illuminated room being readily observed from the outside.` Such hereto- `fore .knownshades are thereforeunsuited :for use during theenforced darkness of entire communities, known as A,a black-out. l

l The device oflthe,presentinvention affords the necessary exclusion of `al1 interior light from observation of the exterior .at any` angle whatsoever. v e

Referring now to the drawing: .the window to be shadedis indicated generally as 6 and maybe framed in any conventional manner. `At the sides of the window 6 are mounted vertically disposed and inwardly extending angle strips formed of any stiff opaque sheet material to afford an overlap between thesides of the window opening and the sideAedges of Vthe ventilatingshade 8 -of the invention. l l

The shade 8 .comprises a top strip 9 and a bottom strip I0, both formed of stiff materiaL e. Ig., thin wood or metal slats,^berboard or composition board having the desired degree of stiffness.

A pair rof `opaque sheets or Webs and Yl2 are accordion Vplaited `or reversely folded in uniform fashion so that each web presents `alternate 'salient hinge folds |3fand reentrant vhinge `folds I4 which connect the panels I5 and |50. lThe panels I5 are perforatedwhileipanels |50 are imperiorate. vThe ends of `webs -and I2 are secured to l strips 9 and `I0 in suitable fashion as by adhesive IIi-` with `or vwithout staples'or tacks One or more `panels ateach end of each web may be secured atwise on strips 9 and I0 to assure a lightproof connection between the strips and the Webs. Theendmost hinge joints of the strip I| spring "from strips 9 and 0 intermediate the longitudinal edges of said strips'while the corresponding hinge 'folds of web I2 are in spaced parallelism from those of the-web and, in practice, are disposed well along the edges of the strips 9 and I0. A draw cord I8 passes through a smooth grommet |9 inwardly'from each end of the strip I0, said cord then passing through each of the panels' I5 and relatively close to the reentrant hinge folds I4, thus leaving `the salient hinge folds free -while the reentrant hinge folds are constrained to a relatively close relationship which insures the-partial nestingof the reentrant hinge folds of each web interiorly of the opposed fold in the opposite web. Due to the spacing'of the termini of the webs at opposite ends, said webs, when extended, as best shown in Figure 2, form between them pronounced channels 20 into which air currents may pass through the perforations in the perforate panels I5 from one side or the other of shade B. These channels 20 are not necessarily closed along their top and bottom edges and the shape of the cross-sections thereof may vary depending upon the degree of stretching or extension of the webs 4in a given installation. The intermediate spaces 2| likewise may vary in shape l"implemente j gThe Yactuating kcords I8 may have knots 23 l, immediatelybelow the 'strip' I0' so that a d own-' f -ward pullon' the outer reaches of 'thecords will and it should be noted that the included angle between panels !5 and |50 of one of the webs may rate panel |50 on the proximate side of the shadef a fully lowered position, the bottom strip rests gravitationally on the sill of the window and is precluded from being blown off the sill by reason lof the lateral flanges 1.

The production of the double web by a combined punching and creasing machine is surprisirlgvlyy rapid.- I-n the preferred method; of manufacture I arrange themachinelto form an addi- It will be readily understood that itis practically impossible to adjust the planes yof these op` posed panels to an angle that-will-adrnit. of thev passage of light rays through':perforationsi22v' in the pair of webs Il and lI2."Thexhingefolds are staggered vertically.

The shade may thus be made to accommodate many different heights 'of windows without changing the length of the webs.

,9 so that the width of the shades may be reduced y `as desired byicutting of the ends, This can be jdonelby compressing the folded webs tightly bejtween strips '9 and vI!!` and cutting through the compacted mass v, ywith a knife or other cutting lift the strip in and close the hingeffolds Aprogressively; When the shadeis vraised to its limit,

itis 'inconspicuous as Aa roller shade lor `rVenetian blindin raised condition.:

The suspending means Amay take the form of an nangle strip 24 'secured as by nails or screws 25 tothe top framing of the window opening and extending entirely across it'tc precludev passage "ioflightfbetween thestrip Q'andthe'to'p'of the opening. This angle stripor bracket may ta'keany .other 'desired shape. The'edge oihstri'pv iil'rests 'againstthellower cross rail 26 of the lower'win- 'dow sash and thus'effec'tively blocks the passageKH loflght"however, if desired, an angle strip (not `'shown) similar Ato-t'he'side mem-bers 1, may be l `mounted across the bottom'of the window opening. .l f

After mashed@ is mounted in the window, as `hereinbefore'described; thefree reach of each pull cor'd is disposed to the interior of-the room.

Whentheshade is lowered or fully extended, it 'maylbe raisedbyfpulling downwardly in 'a uniform manner'on the said free reaches i8!) of the ,fcordsf 1,8;whereupori'knots23 move upwardly and lift. lower strip l0 and cause the hinge' folds in the. two webs to close. 'When the we bsY and lower strip areformed of relatively lightweight materiaL-the'binding action of the cord on the panel where they pass through the panels tends' to hold .the'shade in at leasta partially raised or eleivated condition without otherwise securing the Afree-reaches of thecords to hold the shade in l that position.-

...'If it be desired to vquickly lower the shade fromv the raised position indicated, those reaches of 'the'. cords which depend directly from the knots 23 are pulled downwardly; whereupon, the lower strip I 0 descends along with the knots andthe hinge folds open during such movement. Thus.

-while the shade is devoidof springs. catches or yfastening members, it may be raised and low- 'ered to approximately desired positions by merely pulling downwardly on one' or the other Vof the reaches of the cords.'Y IWhen theV shade is in' tional off register fold crease once in each two 'lengths of webbing as the same is produced from a roll of shade web material and the finished web f is cut intermediate'the said crease folds so that the two websofeach shade are formed of one @piece anda re..automatically spaced apart as .fhereinbeforeindicated by doubling the material over at the crease fold and securing it, in the v manner hereinbefore indicated, to the top strip Fori purposes v ,ofstandardizing production ofthe shades, the grommets orguides :ware disposed at considerable distances inwardly of the ends ofthe strip '9; The remainder of the manufacturing opera- -tions ,i. namely, securing the webs to the top and bottom strips and passing then'rcords through the strips and webs-and tying the cordaare quickly and economically A'cbmpleted From the foregoing it= will be readily 'appreciated that'largeiquantity 'production for 'emjergency purposes may be carriedoteonomically Y and at great speed, using `any of the Wellknown shade webbing materials of either 'cloth' o'rpaper.M Itis, preferred that forlbla'ckoutj purposes` the finish fon' the shade webbing .berelatively 4dull 'and in: the 'darkv colors; light Acarrpass through the perfrations in the shade nor will'reflected light be discernable un- No direct rays of less the inner faces vof the webs-befof vexceptionallyhighlight -reecting properties. It will be Hnoted fromv an inspection of Figure 2 that it will bey exceedingly difficult to arran'gethe panels of 'the several webs at such angle'stoeach other as to enable reflected rays of light ltd-:pass through the perforations in one of the webs' and alternatelyout of the perforations -What is claimed: is:

in' the Vother web 1. A Ventilating blackout window shade comf prising a pair' of opposed;-andsubstantially coextensive websreach web being-'accordion plaited to providev a' multiplicity of horizontal panels connected to adjacent panels at opposite edges by a -reentrant hinge folda'nd a salient`hinge fold respectively, a top strip adapted 'for mount- .ing in ahorizontal plane, the uppermost panels of said webs secured in spaced parallel'relation lengthwise of said topstrip', affbottom strip, the

,- lowermost panels vof said webs secured in spaced `and apull cordv adapted' forl drawing the said parallel relation lengthwise of saidl bottom strip,

vbottom strip toward said; top'strip'and passing through each panel of each web closely adjacent the reentrant hinge'fold thereof, alternate panels of each web having Ventilating apertures'therein,

g-thew-apertured panels of one web disposed :in

staggered relation to the *apertured' panels' of the other-web.

2. A Ventilating biackoutw'mdow shade cpmprising a pair of accordion plaited4 webs.'l arranged in face to face spaced relation, strips secured'to the top and bottom ends of the webs I for retaining the spacing at opposite vends of the webs,'the webs each having' alternate perforated and imperforate panels connected on opposite edges by salient and reentrant hinge folds respectively, and'pull cordmeansto draw'the end strips together, said cord means passing through each panel of Teach'web adjacent the reentrant -hinge fold thereof whereby the webs are retained at all times in a 'partially nested relation, the perforated panels of one web disposed in opposition to the imperforate panels of the other web permitting air circulation through and between the pair of webs and precluding the transmission of light rays through the pair of webs from al1 angles.

3. A window shade of the class described comprising a pair of accordion plaited webs having 'panels connected at the plait folds by salient and reentrant hinge folds and pull cords passing through each panel adjacent the reentrant hinge fold thereof whereby the web plaits are retained in partially nested relation in both extended and folded condition of the webs.

4. A window shade of the class described comprising a horizontally mountable tofp strip, a pair of webs secured thereto at their top edges in spaced parallel relation, the webs being accordion plaited by series of folds forming salient and reentrant hinge folds and intermediate panels, and an operating cord passing freely through each panel of each web closely adjacent the reentrant hinge folds only whereby the webs are retained partially nested during opening and closing movement of the hinge folds as the shade is lowered and raised.

5. A window shade comprising a pair of end strips, endless cords each threaded through said fold and endless cords each having one reach pair of strips, means for securing one of the strips at the top of a window openingya knot in each cord below the other of said strips whereby pulling on one reach of the cords raises the lower strip toward the upper strip, and a folded shade web comprising panels connected by salient and reentrant hinge folds, said web being secured at its opposite ends to said pair of strips, said cords passing through the panels closely adjacent the reentrant hinge folds for frictional engagement with the several panels to retain the web in suspension in a partially lowered condition.

6. In a Ventilating blackout window fixture the combination with window to be shaded, of inwardly projecting flanges along the` sides of the window opening, a movable shade comprising a threaded through each panel adjacent the rejentrant hinge fold thereof and through the top and bottom strips and including means to limit the relative movement of the bottom strip on said cords in one direction.

7. A window shade co-mprising a pair of end strips, an endless cord passing through said pair of strips inwardly of each end thereof, the cord having an enlargement such as a knot below one of the strips, means to mount the other of the strips at the top of a Window and a pair of accordion folded shade webs having the opposite ends thereof secured in spaced parallel relation to adjacent sides of the respective strips, one reach of the cord being threaded through each panel closely adjacent the reentrant hinge fold thereof whereby the webs are self-sustaining in various positions of the shade, said shade being raised and lowered by pulling downwardly on the respective reaches of the cord.

8. A window shade consisting of a pair of end strips, an accordion plaited web secured at opposite ends to and extending between said strips, an endless cord passing slightly frictional through said strips and through the web at a multiplicity of points relatively closely adjacent alternate plait folds thereof whereby the Web is self holding in adjusted positions on said cord, said endless cord having an obstruction therein such as a knot for limiting relative movement of one of the strips with relation to the cord, said shade adapted for raising and lowering to adjusted positions by pulling downwardly on the respective reaches of the endless cord.

RICHARD BUTTS. 

